Receiving Critiques On Your Writing

Writers are often told to join a critique group or do a one on one critique session with another writer. It will help you, the writing gurus say. It's true that you'll benefit from having other eyes on your work, but there can be a bit of a hitch, too.

It's not an easy task to expose your writing to others who are going to point out all the places you need to improve. They're going to tell you what works and what doesn't, mostly what doesn't. You may end up feeling like they're tearing your beautiful prose to shreds. 

You have to make an attitude adjustment if you want to put your work out for critique. 

1. Remember that it is not YOU these people are criticizing; it's the piece of prose or poetry you offered for critique and they are doing it to help you, not to hurt.
2. Go into it with the idea that you are going to learn from what the critiquers tell you.
3. Be grateful that you find the problem areas before you submit the piece to an editor.

Keep in mind that the critique person is looking at your work with objective eyes. The writer is 100% subjective when reading his/her own work. 

Last week, I sent a story to my critique group. One that I wanted to submit for a new Chicken Soup for the Soul book. I thought it had turned out well. Seems other eyes saw a number of places that could be zipped up, words that weren't necessary and places where better words might have been used. I used many of the suggestions from the 5 critiquers to polish the story, then waited a day before sending it to the publishers of Chicken Soup. I felt very grateful that the women who had critiqued the story had helped me have a better chance of being accepted. A real plus was that they all liked the story and let me know what areas they especially enjoyed. 

When I offer a critique, I always try to give positive feedback along with the suggestion to change this or that. I think it's important for the writer to know the good spots as well as finding out the places that need work.

If you don't let others read and critique your work, your odds of being published are not going to be as high. Not always, of course. There are writers who never have others look at their writing and still get published. But, getting those objective opinions can be a great help, and I urge writers to do so. Maybe the good piece could become a great one if you let others critique it.

So grumble and groan if you must, but do everything in your power to make your writing publishable. Yes, you will have more work to do when you take the suggestions of those who critique your work. Nobody ever said writing would be easy. 

One last thing to remember. You do not have to take every suggestion you receive from others as ' you must change this' kind of help. Read the suggestions, ponder them a bit, then decide if you want to change it or keep as is. You are the one in charge. However, when two or more people point out the same trouble spot, sit up and listen.